Schools Resource Management Adviser pilot to continue until 2020

School Resource Management Advisers (SRMA) will work in more schools, after the pilot achieved over £35 million of savings and revenue generation opportunities in schools and academy trusts.

Nine supplier organisations will recruit and manage a cohort of at least 160 accredited SRMAs until August 2020.

Over the course of the 2017/18 academic year, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (EFSA) piloted the use of independent SRMAs to work with schools and trusts to help them make best use of their available resources to provide the best possible education for their pupils.

SRMAs are sector experts, who have demonstrable experience of helping schools and trusts make the best use of their capital and revenue resources.

All SRMAs go through an induction and accreditation process, run by the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL). This ensures they have the expertise and confidence to help schools and trusts make best use of their resources including in the tools and techniques of integrated curriculum and financial planning.

The ESFA is continuing to work with the trusts involved in this pilot to ensure they are able to realise as much of the identified saving and revenue opportunities as possible.

Lord Agnew, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, said: “Excellent school resource management is vital in ensuring pupils receive the very best education possible.

“It is clear from the success of the pilot that SRMAs will be valued partners for schools and trusts as they work to ensure they make the most of the resources available to them and are maximising investment in the classroom. I am therefore delighted to announce that this expansion in capacity will help and support significantly more schools and trusts."